Snowboard bindings are employed to secure boots to a board. Conventional snowboard bindings comprise a body transitioning rearwardly to a high back which presses against the heel of the boot. The boot is secured within the body utilising a rearward ankle strap and a forward toe strap. The straps typically comprise ratchet adjustment mechanisms to adjust the length and tension thereof.
Given that strap adjustment is inconvenient, various attempts have been made at step-in snowboard bindings including WO2008094974A1 (Laser) which discloses a step-in snowboard binding comprising a body and a footplate and high back pivotally attached thereto. A linkage connects the footplate and the high back such that the pressing the footplate pulls the high back upright via linkage.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,545,560 B2 (Chen) similarly discloses a step-in snowboard binding comprising a footplate and a high back pivotally coupled to a binding body. According to the arrangement of Chen, the footplate similarly pulls the high back upright but the footplate interfaces slidably within an elongate channel of the high back, as opposed to via a linkage as disclosed by Laser.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved step-in binding, which will overcome or substantially ameliorate at least some of the deficiencies of the prior art, or to at least provide an alternative.
It is to be understood that, if any prior art information is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the information forms part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.